The annual Trusts Open in Auckland over Queen's Birthday weekend saw its usual large turnout with over 100 players contesting the four grades. The A grade was won by FM Ben Hague of Auckland. In a steady performance against a strong field of 36 players, Hague only took the outright lead in the penultimate round, by beating co-leader Chris Burns of Wanganui. That allowed Hague to ensure clrear first place with a draw in the sixth and final round against his closest pursuer, John Duneas of Mt Maunganui. Final leading scores: 1st Hague 5/6; 2nd= Duneas, Burns & Nathan Goodhue (Auckland) 4½.
Today's game features Hague with the black pieces against FM Bob Smith of Mt Maunganui from the fourth round.
1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 e5 3.Nf3 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.e5 Ng4!?
A relative sideline in the Scotch Gambit, Black having tried earlier to entice his opponent into the Nimzovitch Defence. White chooses the most popular response that soon leads to an ending, but sharp alternatives are 6 0-0 and 6 Bxf7+!? 6.Qe2 Qe7 7.Bf4 d6 8.exd6 Qxe2+ 9.Bxe2 Bxd6 10.Bxd6 cxd6 11.Nbd2?! ---
The normal move here is 11 Na3! with the idea of Nb5xd4 regaining his pawn, while at the same time defending c2 against Black's next move. 11.--- Bf5! 12.Bb5?! 0-0-0
White has resorted to giving up his bishop for knight to regain the pawn (12 Rc1 was better), but Black misses a tactical way to keep the pawn with 12... Bxc2! 13 Nxd4 Bd3! However the text still favours Black as White is prevented from castling, leaving his rook on h1 out of play. 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.Nxd4 Rhe8+ 15.Kf1 Bd7 16.h3 Ne5 17.f4 c5!
Highlighting that White's position is vulnerable once the power of the unopposed bishop is unleashed. So if here 18 fxe5?! cxd4 19 exd6 Bb5+ 20 Kg1 Re2 21 Rd1 Rxd6 with the idea of 22...d3! 18.Ne2 Nc6 19.c3 Nb4!
A decisive penetration to d3. White can't capture the knight as 20 cxb4 Bb5 21 Re1 Rxe2! 22 Rxe2 Re8 wins back the piece and lands a rook on e2 with a big advantage. e.g. 23 Nb3 Rxe2 24 Kg1 Rxb2 25 bxc5 dxc5 26 Nxc5 Rxa2 etc. White now clears the 2nd rank to allow the rook to defend from h2, since e1 will be unavailable. 20.g4 Nd3 21.b3 Re3 22.Rh2 Bb5!
Denying the c4 square to the white knight, which would chase his rook from e3. White is reduced to complete passivity, awaiting the final attack. 23.c4 Bc6 24.f5 Rde8 25.Rd1 Kc7 26.Nb1 g6!
Leaving White with Hobson's choice between opening the f-file or losing the pawn after 27 f6 R8e6 with the same result. 27.fxg6 fxg6 28.Nbc3 ---
Most resilient was returning the knight to d2, to protect f3, but after 28 Nd2 h5! followed by 29... Bd7 the white kingside pawns will topple. 28.--- Rf8+ 29.Kg1 Ne5!
The threat of 30...Nf3+ forces White to give up the h-pawn. 30.Rf2 Rxf2 31.Kxf2 Rxh3 32.Ng1?? ---
A blunder in a lost position, as White must also lose the g-pawn after either 32 g5 Rf3+ 33 Kg1 Rf5 or 32 Rg1 g5 followed by 33... Rh4. 32.--- Rxc3
Hague secures Trusts Open title
Problem: White to play and mate in 3.
The annual Trusts Open in Auckland over Queen's Birthday weekend saw its usual large turnout with over 100 players contesting the four grades. The A grade was won by FM Ben Hague of Auckland. In a steady performance against a strong field of 36 players, Hague only took the outright lead in the penultimate round, by beating co-leader Chris Burns of Wanganui. That allowed Hague to ensure clrear first place with a draw in the sixth and final round against his closest pursuer, John Duneas of Mt Maunganui. Final leading scores: 1st Hague 5/6; 2nd= Duneas, Burns & Nathan Goodhue (Auckland) 4½.
Today's game features Hague with the black pieces against FM Bob Smith of Mt Maunganui from the fourth round.
1.e4 Nc6
2.d4 e5
3.Nf3 exd4
4.Bc4 Nf6
5.e5 Ng4!?
A relative sideline in the Scotch Gambit, Black having tried earlier to entice his opponent into the Nimzovitch Defence. White chooses the most popular response that soon leads to an ending, but sharp alternatives are 6 0-0 and 6 Bxf7+!?
6.Qe2 Qe7
7.Bf4 d6
8.exd6 Qxe2+
9.Bxe2 Bxd6
10.Bxd6 cxd6
11.Nbd2?! ---
The normal move here is 11 Na3! with the idea of Nb5xd4 regaining his pawn, while at the same time defending c2 against Black's next move.
11.--- Bf5!
12.Bb5?! 0-0-0
White has resorted to giving up his bishop for knight to regain the pawn (12 Rc1 was better), but Black misses a tactical way to keep the pawn with 12... Bxc2! 13 Nxd4 Bd3! However the text still favours Black as White is prevented from castling, leaving his rook on h1 out of play.
13.Bxc6 bxc6
14.Nxd4 Rhe8+
15.Kf1 Bd7
16.h3 Ne5
17.f4 c5!
Highlighting that White's position is vulnerable once the power of the unopposed bishop is unleashed. So if here 18 fxe5?! cxd4 19 exd6 Bb5+ 20 Kg1 Re2 21 Rd1 Rxd6 with the idea of 22...d3!
18.Ne2 Nc6
19.c3 Nb4!
A decisive penetration to d3. White can't capture the knight as 20 cxb4 Bb5 21 Re1 Rxe2! 22 Rxe2 Re8 wins back the piece and lands a rook on e2 with a big advantage. e.g. 23 Nb3 Rxe2 24 Kg1 Rxb2 25 bxc5 dxc5 26 Nxc5 Rxa2 etc. White now clears the 2nd rank to allow the rook to defend from h2, since e1 will be unavailable.
20.g4 Nd3
21.b3 Re3
22.Rh2 Bb5!
Denying the c4 square to the white knight, which would chase his rook from e3. White is reduced to complete passivity, awaiting the final attack.
23.c4 Bc6
24.f5 Rde8
25.Rd1 Kc7
26.Nb1 g6!
Leaving White with Hobson's choice between opening the f-file or losing the pawn after 27 f6 R8e6 with the same result.
27.fxg6 fxg6
28.Nbc3 ---
Most resilient was returning the knight to d2, to protect f3, but after 28 Nd2 h5! followed by 29... Bd7 the white kingside pawns will topple.
28.--- Rf8+
29.Kg1 Ne5!
The threat of 30...Nf3+ forces White to give up the h-pawn.
30.Rf2 Rxf2
31.Kxf2 Rxh3
32.Ng1?? ---
A blunder in a lost position, as White must also lose the g-pawn after either 32 g5 Rf3+ 33 Kg1 Rf5 or 32 Rg1 g5 followed by 33... Rh4.
32.--- Rxc3
0-1
Solution: 1 Nd5+! Ke8 (1... Bxd5 2 Bg5#) 2 Nc7+ Ke7 3 Bg5#.